Trailer attachment for motor-vehicles



C. DE MATTIA. TRAILER ATTACHMENT FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPU c A I 1 0 N I L E D r E8. 4 I 9 2 u. 1,368,705. Patented Feb. 15,1921.

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mflHHIPIIIlII/l Patented Feb. 15,1921.

LL'lQ-QQQ- C.0 MATTIA.

TRAILER ATTACHMENT FOB MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 4, I920.

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. To 'all whom it may concern:

' sprin CONSTANT nn' ma'r'rr'n. or nn morr,

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB '10 WOLVERINE TRUCK TRAILER 00., or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or MICEIGA};

'rnartnn irracnmnn'r roa moronrvnnrcnns.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application iua February 4, 1920. Serial No. 858,322.

' Be itknown that I, CONSTANT a citizenof the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michian, have invented a certain new and useful mprovement in. Trailer Attachments for Motor-Vehicle's, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable, others skilled Dn MA'r'rrA,

in the art to which it pertains to make and had to the use the same, reference bem I form a part accompanying drawings, whic of 1\t/Ihis'specification; ment for vehicles, and particularly to means for automatically coupling a trailer to a tractor or other motor vehlcle.

One object of the invention is to embody iii-connection with a fifth wheel mounted on the frame of the tractor, means adapted to guide a cooperating coupling element carried-b the'trailer intointerlocking relation witht e means carried by the fifth wheel.

Another ob'ect 0f the nvention is to provide meansw ereby a tiltable platform and guiding element carried by the fifth wheel is adapted to flex sufliciently that it may readily adjust itself to receive themooperating coupling element carried b trailer, the construction being such thatwhen the parts are in proper interlocking relation to each other t e tiltable platform carried by the fifth wheel will automatically return to-its normal horizontal position.

Another feature of in means for securing the parts when inter locked, ,in order thatthetrailer may not detached from the tractor.

'Another feature of the invention consists in providing a flexible coupling means whereby in the event the tractor being backed toward the trailer at any an 1c, the

couplin elements will still be ena led to interloc :--the' tiltable table carried by the fifth wheel being adapted to turn or t lt to any required de ree necessary to couple the tractor and trai or to ether.

Another feature 0 the invention is the tiltab ep'latform to restore it to its normal horizontal position when the trailer and tractor are coupled together,-the sprin also serves to take up or neutralize muc of the stress and invention relates to a'trailer attach-' tached to the v 1 through the fifth the invention consists of the trai er.-

which is-adapted to actupon the rim b strain of startmg'the vehicles;-and the tiltable platform being adapted to rock'in any direction servesto el minate any undue strain upon the cou-. phng other irregularities in the road surface.

Heretofore if the rear wheels of the trailer were lower than the rear wheels of the tractor it served to prevent the tractor from obtaining pro er traction and as no, provi- S1011 was ma e for side play betweenthe tractor and trailer, they were found lacking in flexibility- With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as "the description proceeds, the-invention resides in the com bmation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed with out departing from the spirit of the same.

In the drawings accompanying this specification Figure 1 is a side elevation of a trailer atrear end of a tractor.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a fra mentary perspective view slrQ-ivmgnthe-eeup mg element carried by the element carried by the tractor, and in dotte lines the tractor and trailer coupled togather.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view 2, showing the coupling hook engaged with the transverse bar of the trailer.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the transverse bar of the trailer in dotted lines'bearing against-the coupling hook to cause'the may engage the translatter to'lift that it v'erse bar, as shown in Fig. 4.

wheel, on line 4- 4'0fF1g.

Fig. 6 is avertical cross-sectional view on l line 66 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the letters of reference shown on-the drawings A, denotes a trailer, B, B its side sills extending be 0nd the forward end of'the body C, indicates a transverse bar,

supported by vthe. wardly extending 1n nular rim or fifth w end of the tractor frame, with 'a central socket on hub ortion D' connected to the inclin spokes, D

tiltab e platform provided with a. support.-

E, indicates a side sills, ha.ving, a down- C. D; denotes an anee1, secured to the rear is t on returned to its normal substantially tion is limited by the platform El The ing standard having ai'elatively large flat base adapted when in its-normally upright position to rest upon and conform to the flat bottom wall of the socket or hub D of the fifth wheeL,

the tiltable platform is a pair of inclined spreadin lug C o the transverse bar C when brought into coupling relation with the latter. F, indicates a pin extending transversely across the supporting base E sleeved a fitting G. H, indicates a bolt having a yoke-shaped end ting G. a

I, denotes a cup-shaped fitting sleeved upon the bolt H, .and J, is an annular ballrace supported bylthe bolt between the fittin I and a nut en aging the bolt.

1%, indicates a spring aving one end bearing against the hub D of the fifth wheel and the other end againsta projecting flange on the fitting I.

L, denotes a hook-shaped latch pivoted on a transverse pin L between a pair of upstanding lugs E E end of the latch L is tapered slightly as indicated at L, in order that when the tractor is backed trailerv for con ling, therewith, the transverse bar C of t e trailer may lift the latch that the latter may engage said bar as shown in Fig. 5.

E E? are arc-shaped ,lu

s spaced apart and integral with the plat orm E, against Projecting downwardly from tines e, e to receive and guide the on which is loosely pivoted to the fit-- formed integral with 1 toward the which the transverse bar G bears when engagred by the latch L. M, is a removable loo -'pin supported by lugs E, E, projecting from the platform E, ada ted to straddle and thereby lock the late L- when enga ed with the transverse bar C.

aving now indicated the several parts by reference letters the construction and operatilon of the device'will be readily understoo To couple the tractor with the trailer, the

tractor is backed toward the forward end of the trailer, whereu on the downwardly inclined tines e, e, o the tiltable; platform E are caused to project beneath the transverse bar C;the spreading tines e e, receiving between them the lug C of the transverse bar which rides u on the tines o1?o the main bod portion of the tilting plat orm, which horizontalposition due to thecoinbined action of the spring K and the weight of the load upon the platform.

It will now be apparent that while the platform .E is adapted to tilt so as to accommodate itself to the transverse bar 0 of the trai er in order that it may couple'with the latter, the tiltin aocontact with the fth wheel and as soon as the parts are in their proper interlocking osition of the re a n tmhfiive P0:

neath said bar to receive the 2. In a device of the character descrilied,

the combination with a tractor and a trailer,

of a transverse coupling bar carried by the trailer, a fifth wheel member carried by the tractor, said bar having a projection and the platform having a guideway adapted to extend beneath the bar to direct the latter onto the platform, the platform being tiltable so as to receive the said bar and adapted to maintain a normal horizontal position when the transverse bar is seated upon the platform, and means for locking the 'bar on the platform.

3. In a device of the character described, the combinatio'n of a of a coupling bar carried. by the trailer, a fifth wheel member carried by the tractor, a tiltable platforin mounted on t'he'fifth wheel member, and means on said platform to entractor and a trailer,

age and automatically detachably lock said trailer; a fifth wheelmember carried by the tractor; a tiltable platform having an inclined guideway adapted to extend beneath the transverse bar of the trailer to direct the latter onto the tiltable latforhi, said platform having a substantialiy mg base loosel mounted in the rame of the fifth wheel, said platform being adapted totilt upon'said fifth wheel to receive the transverse coupling bar andtoreturn toits normal horizontal position when the transverse coupling bar is seated upon the platform; and acoupling hook pivoted to said platform, adapted to automatically engage said transverse bar, whereby the tractor and trailer may be. coupled together. a

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a tractor "and a trailer, the trailer having forwardly rejecting side sills, of a transverse coupling b saidv side sills and having a projection intermediate its ends, a fifth wheel member carried by the tractor, a platform carried by the fifthwheel member and provided with an inclined forked guideway adapted topass berdjection of the latter and to guide the coup ing bar onto the platform, the fifth wheel member having at supporta socket, the latform having a depending projection con orming substantially in shape to the'socket and fitting in the latter to permit tilting of the platform, and a latch pivoted on the platform and having a hooked end adapted to be engaged by the bar, the latch being operable to effect an automatic locking connection between said bar and the platform.

6. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a tractor and a trailer;

of a transverse coupling bar carried by the trailer; a fifth wheel member carried by the tractor and having a socket; a platform having a substantially flat base loosely supported in the socket in the fifth wheel, whereby a substantially universal joint is provided between the platform and the fifth wheel member, said platform having an in clined guideway to direct the transverse coupling-bar of the trailer onto the platform; means carried by said platform to receive and secure said transverse coupling bar when lodged thereon, and resilient means adapted to assist in maintaining said platform in a normally horizontal position.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a tractor and a trailer, of a fifth wheel member secured to the frame of a tractor, a tiltable platform mounted upon the fifth wheel member and having a forked portion, a transverse coupling element carried by the frame of the trailer;

the transverse coupling element having a projecting lug adapted to enter between the forked portions of the tiltable platform; resilient means for maintaining the tiltable platform in a substantially horizontal position, and means for engagin said transverse coupling element, where yvthe trailer may be coupled with the tractor.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a tractor and a trailer, of a. fifth wheel member secured to the tractor frame, having a central socket, a platform supported by a pedestal having a substantially fiat base, adapted to rock in the socket of the fifth wheel member, said plat- \form provided with a downwardly inclined forkedway, a transverse bar secured to the frame of the trailer having a ton ed to be guided by the inclined orked-way of the platform, means carried by the platform to automatically engage said transverse bar, and means adapted to yieldingly maintain said platform in a substantially horizontal position.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a tractor and a trailer, of a fifth wheel member secured to the tractor frame, provided with a central socket or huh having an openingforthe passage of a bolt: a tiltalilc philiforfn having a pedestal lodged in said socket the fifth wheel member and an inclined forked portion exue adapt- V tending downwardly from the platform proper to receive and guide a transverse member carried by the trailer; a fitting pivoted to said pedestal; a bolt pivoted to the fitting, an annular member carried by said bolt adapted to receive the thrust of a spring; a spring housed between the annular member and the socket wall of the fifth wheel member; a transverse member carried by the trailer, provided with a projecting liig adapted to enter the forked portion of the tiltable platform; a latch carried by the platform adapted to engage the transverse member, and means for locking said latch against accidental disengagement.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a tractor and a trailer; of a fifth wheel member secured to the tractor frame; a tiltable platform supported upon said fifth wheel member, its tilting action limited by the latter, having an inclined way leading to the platform, a latch bar pivoted to the platform; lugs integral with the platform and substantially in alinement with the engaging end of said latch; a cooperative coupling element secured to the trailer comprising a transverse bar adapted to be guided by the inclined way of the tiltable platform into abutting contact with said lugs and into coupling engagement by said latch, and means for yieldably maintaining said platform in a substantially horizontal position.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tracto-i' and a trailer, a fifth wheel memlber secured to the tractor and a latform having a tilta ble connection with t e fifth wheel member and provided with a V-shaped slot forming a guideway, means carried by the trailer including a deyi'ce extending into said guideway and guided by said slot toi position the trailer with respect 5 to coupling relation of the trailer to the tractor, and a device to lock the tractor and trailer in coupling relation.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tractor and a trailer, a fifth wheel member secured to the tractor, a platform having a tiltable connection with the fifth wheei member and rovided with downwardly extending diverging tines forming a substantially V-shaped guide y, a projecting element which projects into said guideway and which is guided by the latter to position the trailer with respect to the coupling relation with the tractor, and a device to lock the trailer and tractor in coupling relation. a

13. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tractor and a trailer, a fifth wheel mem ber secured to the tractor, a platform having a universal joint connection with the fifth wheel member and pro vided with a downwardly extending pormeans-carried by the trailer including a tion having a substantially V-shaped 'slot therein forming a, guideway, means carried by the trailer including an element projecting into said guideway and guided by the.

14. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a tractor and a trailer, a fifth Wheel member secured to the tractor,

a platform having a tiltable connection with the fifth wheel member and provided with downwardl diverging tines extending beyond the fii th wheel member and forming a substantially V-shaped guideway, means carried by the trailer including an element projecting therefromand into said guideway and guided by the sidesof the latter so as to position the trailer with respect to coupling relation with the tractor, and means to lock the tractor. and trailer in coupling relation.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of a, tractor and a trailer, of a bar disposed in advance of the bod of the trailer and transversely thereof, a fifth Wheel member carried by the tractor, a tiltable platform mounted on the fifth Wheel member, and a device on the platform to 00- act with said bar to couple the tractor and trailer together, the bar acting as a hinge pin to permit the trailer to flex freely under the action of irregularities in the road surface.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the resence of two witnesses.

. ONSTANT DE MATTIA. lVitnesses; i

L. E. THOMAS, J B. A. CUTTING. 

